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VOL. 43 | NO. 41 | Friday, October 11, 2019

Vanderbilt baseball’s season in the sun

CWS title followed by dominant MLB season for Commodore alumni

This is a fantasy baseball story, one of how Vanderbilt boasts a field of dreams team of former players in the major leagues.

Duvall decides he has more to learn, returns for senior season

Ever since he started playing baseball, Vanderbilt catcher Ty Duvall dreamed of someday playing professionally.

Chapel Hill’s Minor rebounds from injury for All-Star year

Of all the former Vanderbilt baseball players who had impactful 2019 major league seasons, perhaps none were bigger than that of Texas Rangers pitcher Mike Minor.

TIM GHIANNI: STREET LEVEL

Nashville needs to own up to its past role in slavery

Nashvillians may not like to hear it, but just as the city is a celebrated crossroads for transport of goods and services via railroad, long-haul truck and airplane today, the place now acclaimed as Music City once was an “It City’’ for the slave trade … And it’s time to fess up.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
45.0°F
Overcast
Wind: North at 8.1 mph
Humidity: 68%

EVENTS

Street Eats. As many as 20 local food trucks will park along Deaderick Street between Fourth Avenue North and Fifth Avenue North. Thursdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Information

more events »

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame a bit short on details

Everybody knows about the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. But Tennessee is awash in halls of fame.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Outsiders are pouring in to neighborhoods, stadiums

Buyers in the Nashville real estate market are angry and frustrated, especially the buyers who have decided to relocate here from other cities.

REAL ESTATE

Middle Tennessee real estate trends for September 2019

Home sales jumped 18% in the Nashville area and across Davidson County with 1,541 home sales recorded for the month compared to 1,308 sales recorded in September of last year.

US long-term mortgage rates fall; 30-year at 3.57%

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. long-term mortgage rates fell this week amid continued uncertainty about the economy's outlook.

NEWSMAKERS

Ronderos joins McGlinchey Stafford

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC has added Joseph V. Ronderos Jr. to the firm’s national commercial litigation and financial services litigation practice groups in Nashville.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans fans need a reason for showing up

Which came first: The Titans’ continued lackluster play or their fans’ apathetic attitude?

Titans try for another road win, this one in the Mile High City

The up-and-down Titans head back out on the road, where they claimed both of their wins this season. The Titans must win in Denver to make it three, and the Mile High City is traditionally one of the toughest venues in the NFL. Here are their keys to victory:

Titans have rule out LBs Wake and Finch for Sunday in Denver

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have ruled out a pair of linebackers with Cameron Wake and Sharif Finch both not playing Sunday in Denver.

Week 6 predictions

Broncos 21, Titans 20: The Titans can’t seem to solve their offensive problems. The key will be the offensive line, which must hold up so they can have a run/pass balance.

BRIEFS

Baker Donelson selects Broadwest for new home

Baker Donelson law firm has signed a multiyear lease and will move its Nashville office in 2021 to Broadwest, the new urban, mixed-use community rising in Nashville’s expanding core.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Better used-car trim packages can provide more value

Americans tend to want all the “bells and whistles” on their new cars. Today’s shoppers are opting for higher trim levels and costlier option packages, an Edmunds’ analysis shows.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Wake up to the truth about ‘dream schools’

The college admissions scandal, which recently led to a 14-day prison sentence for actress Felicity Huffman, exposed a group of wealthy parents’ obsession with getting their students into the “right” school.

CAREER CORNER

Job search more taxing on the unemployed

Job searching is tough. But, what is really difficult job searching for a job when you’re unemployed.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Lee taps 38 to serve on census panel

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has appointed 38 people to a panel that will work with the U.S. Census Bureau on the 2020 Census.

STATEWIDE

FedEx files $212M building permit for world hub in Memphis

MEMPHIS (AP) — FedEx officials confirm the company has filed a building permit for its new package sorting facility and world hub in Memphis.

Congress may award Tennessee extra $14M to fight Asian carp

JACKSON (AP) — Congress may award an extra $14 million to help fight Asian carp in Tennessee.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Country artists bring tears, prayers to CMT awards show

NASHVILLE (AP) — Country music artists cried together and prayed together at an emotional CMT Artists of the Year awards show that reflected the tight-knit community of artists who supported each other through success and loss.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Workers celebrate deal with GM, show union power in industry

DETROIT (AP) — On the picket lines at a General Motors transmission plant in Toledo, Ohio, passing cars honked and striking workers celebrated a tentative contract deal by munching on 10 pizzas dropped off by a supporter.

COURTS

Opioid industry presses for settlement as trial looms

CLEVELAND (AP) — With a trial looming, major drug distributors and manufacturers are pressing to settle thousands of claims against them related to the nation's persistent opioid crisis.

REAL ESTATE

US home construction fell 9.4% last month

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home building fell last month, driven by a sharp decline in the construction of new apartments.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

GM strike pushed US factory output down 0.5% in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. factory output slumped 0.5% in September, as a strike at General Motors caused a steep decline in auto production amid broader struggles for manufacturers.

UK, EU reach tentative Brexit deal; still needs ratification

BRUSSELS (AP) — Britain and the European Union finally reached a new tentative Brexit deal on Thursday, hoping to escape the acrimony, divisions and frustration of their three-year divorce battle. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson now faces the Herculean task of selling the accord to his recalcitrant parliament — including his allies in Northern Ireland.

China appeals to Washington for quick end to trade war

BEIJING (AP) — China appealed to Washington for a quick end to their trade war but gave no indication Thursday what additional steps Beijing might want before carrying out what President Donald Trump says is a promise to buy up to $50 billion of American farm goods.

Dubai bets billions that Expo 2020 won't be a desert mirage

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — It rises out of what were once rolling sand dunes stretching toward the horizon, a feverish construction site by tempo and temperature that has tens of thousands of workers building what looks like a new city in the desert of Dubai.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

US envoy key to Ukraine probe distances himself from Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to the European Union distanced himself on Thursday from President Donald Trump, planning to tell House impeachment investigators that he was disappointed Trump directed him to work with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine policy and that he believes it's wrong to invite a foreign government to conduct investigations for the purpose of influencing American elections.

'See you at the polls': Trump and Pelosi have it out

WASHINGTON (AP) — He said she's a "third-grade" politician. She said he's having a meltdown.

Diplomat says politicization of foreign policy disturbed him

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former top State Department aide testified in the impeachment inquiry that the Trump administration's politicization of foreign policy contributed to his resignation, while the Senate GOP leader briefed colleagues on a possible Christmas impeachment trial.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump muddles facts on US Syria withdrawal

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump muddled the facts Wednesday on America's withdrawal from Syria and the conditions on the ground there, as he distanced himself and the U.S. from the ongoing Turkish invasion into Syria.


WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9
MUSIC INDUSTRY

'Patsy and Loretta' highlights bond between iconic singers

NASHVILLE (AP) — Writer-director Callie Khouri is drawn to stories about female friendships and country music, and her latest television film "Patsy and Loretta" combines those passions into the true story of a friendship between two of country music's most powerful voices.

Crossover artist Lauren Daigle reigns at Dove Awards

NASHVILLE (AP) — Grammy-winning singer Lauren Daigle reigned at the 50th annual Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards on Tuesday, winning artist of the year, song of the year and pop/contemporary album of the year.

Musicians Hall of Fame to honor group with New Jersey roots

HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — Seven years after hitting the road to perform and share their stories of recording with some of the biggest names in pop music, a New Jersey-based group of former A-list session musicians is being recognized for its efforts.

STATEWIDE

Prominent donors take sides in Tennessee's US Senate race

NASHVILLE (AP) — Donors are choosing sides in Tennessee's open race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander.

NASHVILLE AREA

Former attorney general named Metro law director

NASHVILLE (AP) — Former Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper will take over as the Nashville law director.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Embattled former speaker Casada defends grant fund

NASHVILLE (AP) — Disgraced former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada says a $4 million state grant fund should not be frozen despite questions raised by legislative leaders surrounding the intention of the taxpayer dollars.

COURTS

Pain MD owner, employees accused of $38M health care fraud

NASHVILLE (AP) — The majority owner of Pain MD and three employees are charged with more than $38 million in health care fraud.

UT SPORTS

Barnes says he expects to finish career at Tennessee

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Tennessee coach Rick Barnes says that he believes "the final chapter of my coaching career is going to be in Knoxville."

PREDATORS

Rinne helps Predators drub Golden Knights in Vegas, 5-2

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nashville's Pekka Rinne has been a Vezina Trophy finalist four times, and won the award honoring the league's best goalie in 2018.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Vrabel: Titans switch to Tannehill at QB looking for spark

NASHVILLE (AP) — Coach Mike Vrabel says the Tennessee Titans will start quarterback Ryan Tannehill on Sunday against the Chargers looking to spark an offense that has scored just a touchdown over the past 10 quarters.

AUTO INDUSTRY

GM, union reach tentative deal that could end strike

DETROIT (AP) — Bargainers for General Motors and the United Auto Workers reached a tentative contract deal on Wednesday that could end a monthlong strike that brought the company's U.S. factories to a standstill.

HEALTH CARE

Book: Trump mulled order to close parts of VA health system

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eager for changes at the Department of Veterans Affairs, President Donald Trump toyed early on with issuing an executive order to close parts of the VA health system without consulting Congress, according to an upcoming book by his former VA secretary.

Study: 'Medicare for All' not only way to universal coverage

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health care memo to Democrats: There's more than one way to get to coverage for all.

New study: Opioid crisis cost US economy $631B over 4 years

The opioid crisis cost the U.S. economy $631 billion from 2015 through last year — and it may keep getting more expensive, according to a study released Tuesday by the Society of Actuaries.

BANKING

Bank of America 3Q profits fall 19% due to charge

NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America's third quarter profits fell 19% from a year ago as the bank wrote down the value of its long-time joint venture payment processor First Data.

TECHNOLOGY

Netflix's US subscriber growth slowing as competition looms

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix's subscriber growth is bogging down even before the leading video streaming service confronts high-powered threats from Apple and Walt Disney Co.

Google touts privacy options, but still depends on your data

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google's latest phone and smart-home devices came packaged with a not-so-subtle message: Google cares about your privacy. Does it?

EU orders chipmaker Broadcom to change business practices

BRUSSELS (AP) — European regulators on Wednesday ordered chipmaker Broadcom to change the way it does business with key customers over competition concerns.

ENVIRONMENT

Another month, another global heat record reached

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists say the globe sizzled to a record tying hot month in September, driven partly by a sweaty United States.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks close mostly lower on Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing mostly lower on Wall Street as losses for technology and energy companies offset gains in other sectors.

Trump boasts that US would win tariff war with Europe

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump voiced confidence Wednesday that the U.S. could not lose a tariff war with the European Union as the U.S. prepares to impose trade sanctions on up to $7.5 billion worth of EU goods.

US to require Chinese officials to report American contacts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said Wednesday that it will soon require Chinese officials in the U.S. to notify the State Department ahead of any contacts they plan to have with American educators, researchers and local and state governments.

Fed survey: US economy being hurt by trade battles

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy was expanding at a modest pace in September and into October despite the fact manufacturing was being hurt by rising trade tensions and weaker global growth while adverse weather was affecting farmers.

US retail sales dip 0.3% in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retail sales dropped in September by the largest amount in seven months, possibly signaling that rising trade tensions and turbulent markets are having an impact on consumer spending.

Brexit talks close in on tentative deal before summit

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union and Britain inched ever closer to a tentative Brexit deal on Wednesday, with the leaders of France and Germany saying they expected such a deal could be sealed within a day at an EU summit.

Australia wants trade deals with Hong Kong, Indonesia, Peru

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia wants bilateral free trade deals with Hong Kong, Indonesia and Peru to take effect early next year, the trade minister said Wednesday, adding that the Hong Kong treaty supports its unique status within China.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Trump dismisses US stakes in Syria: "We're 7,000 miles away"

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washing his hands of America's presence in Syria, President Donald Trump declared Wednesday the U.S. has no stake in supporting the Kurdish fighters who died by the thousands as U.S. partners against Islamic State extremists.

Trump says he thought grieving parents wanted to meet driver

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he thought the grieving parents of a British teenager who was killed in a car crash involving an American diplomat's wife wanted to meet with the woman during a White House visit. But Harry Dunn's parents say they were stunned by the surprise proposition.

Democrats protest $200M in additional border wall transfers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has quietly transferred more than $200 million from Pentagon counterdrug efforts toward building his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Vivid details emerge on Ukraine as impeachment quickens

WASHINGTON (AP) — The impeachment inquiry is revealing vivid new details about the high-level unease over President Donald Trump's actions toward Ukraine, and those of his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, as the swift-moving probe by House Democrats showed no signs Tuesday of easing.

House Democrats not easing up on their impeachment probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — The impeachment inquiry is revealing vivid new details about the high-level unease over President Donald Trump's actions toward Ukraine and those of his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani as the swift-moving probe by House Democrats shows no signs of easing.

Sanders, Warren stockpile millions more than 2020 rivals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren don't just lead the Democratic presidential primary in fundraising. They've stockpiled millions more than their rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden, who burned through money at a fast clip over the past three months while posting an anemic fundraising haul.

AP FACT CHECK: Dems flub details on guns, Syria in debate

WASHINGTON (AP) — A dozen Democrats seeking the presidency tussled in a debate packed with policy, flubbing some details in the process.


TUESDAY, OCT. 15
AUTO INDUSTRY

GM CEO Barra joins talks; deal to end strike may be near

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors CEO Mary Barra joined negotiators at the bargaining table, an indication that a deal may be near to end a monthlong strike by the United Auto Workers union that has paralyzed the company's factories.

HEALTH CARE

Tennessee reports 49 cases of lung injury linked to vaping

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee health officials say they have received 49 cases of serious lung injury in people who use electronic cigarettes or other vaping devices.

COURTS

Justices seem likely to uphold Puerto Rico oversight board

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seems likely to leave in place the oversight board established by Congress to help Puerto Rico out of a devastating financial crisis that was deepened by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

'Chrisley Knows Best' stars sue Georgia tax official

ATLANTA (AP) — Reality television personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley on Tuesday accused a Georgia tax official of abusing his office to pursue "bogus tax evasion claims" against them.

AP analysis: Wide gaps in legal protection of LGBT workers

Rumors started circulating around the fire station in Byron, Georgia, within a year after the medical treatments began. The fire chief's once-crewcut hair was growing longer, and other physical changes were becoming noticeable. Keeping quiet was no longer an option.

TECHNOLOGY

German 5G rules avoid Huawei ban; US warns on intel sharing

LONDON (AP) — Germany released draft security guidelines Tuesday for next generation wireless networks that stopped short of banning Huawei, as the U.S. warned again it would reconsider intelligence sharing with allies that use the Chinese company's equipment.

Google debuts Pixel 4 phone, wireless earbuds with AI

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google unveiled a new Pixel smartphone and other hardware devices Tuesday, all aimed at getting people even more dependent on its artificial-intelligence services.

BANKING

Report: Deutsche Bank gave lavish gifts to China's leaders

BERLIN (AP) — German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports that Deutsche Bank gave expensive gifts to senior Chinese officials at a time when it was trying to establish itself as a major player in China's financial industry.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Solid company earnings power broad rally for US stocks

Stocks notched solid gains on Wall Street Tuesday as investors welcomed surprisingly good quarterly results from some of the nation's biggest companies.

IMF downgrades outlook for world economy, citing trade wars

WASHINGTON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund is further downgrading its outlook for the world economy, predicting that growth this year will be the weakest since the 2008 financial crisis, primarily because of widening global conflicts.

EU: Brexit deal still possible this week, UK must act now

LUXEMBOURG (AP) — A Brexit divorce deal is still possible ahead of Thursday's European Union summit but the British government needs to move ahead with more compromises to seal an agreement in the next few hours, the bloc said Tuesday.

China tempers hopes about US tariff truce

BEIJING (AP) — A truce in a U.S.-Chinese tariff war and Beijing's promises to open more of its state-dominated economy are raising investor hopes. But Beijing is trying to temper expectations, while companies express frustration over the halting pace of market-opening.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Democrats weigh formal impeachment vote as probe quickens

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are gauging support for a vote to formally authorize the impeachment inquiry as another official testified Tuesday in the deepening probe of President Donald Trump's efforts to have Ukraine investigate Joe Biden.

Giuliani won't comply with impeachment subpoena

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has notified lawmakers that he will not comply with a subpoena issued in the impeachment inquiry.

Pence leading US delegation to Turkey Wednesday

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Vice President Mike Pence will be traveling to Turkey on Wednesday to try to reach a ceasefire deal.

Trump's sanctions won't bite a vulnerable Turkish economy

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The sanctions the U.S. announced against Turkey this week over its offensive in Syria fall well short of doing serious damage to an economy still healing from a recession and currency collapse.

Former WH aide: John Bolton called Giuliani a 'hand grenade'

WASHINGTON (AP) — National security adviser John Bolton was so alarmed by Rudy Giuliani's back-channel activities in Ukraine that he described President Donald Trump's personal lawyer as a "hand grenade who is going to blow everybody up," according to a former White House aide.

Hunter Biden denies doing anything wrong in Ukraine, China

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden, acknowledging that his family name created business opportunities, rejected assertions by President Donald Trump that he did anything wrong by engaging in foreign work in Ukraine and China.

Trump threatens to 'destroy' Turkey's economy with sanctions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Targeting Turkey's economy, President Donald Trump announced sanctions aimed at restraining the Turks' assault against Kurdish fighters and civilians in Syria — an assault Turkey began after Trump announced he was moving U.S. troops out of the way.

AP source: Former Trump adviser opposed ambassador's firing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fiona Hill, a former White House adviser on Russia, told House impeachment investigators behind closed doors that she had strongly and repeatedly objected to the ouster earlier this year of former ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, according to a person familiar with the testimony.


MONDAY, OCT. 14
STATEWIDE

AG opinion: New Tennessee law lets felons have antique guns

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's attorney general says a new state law allows felons to have antique guns.

NASHVILLE AREA

Nashville might offer tax breaks to historic home owners

NASHVILLE (AP) — Metro Council is considering a tax break for owners of historic homes who choose to improve their properties.

Ammonia leak contained at Nashville Coca-Cola plant

NASHVILLE (AP) — An ammonia leak at a Coca-Cola plant in Nashville early Monday forced workers to evacuate for several hours until it was contained.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Mariota's starting spot in flux after benching vs Broncos

DENVER (AP) — Marcus Mariota was blasted, baffled and finally benched.

Mariota, Winston may have cloudy futures with shaky showings

Marcus Mariota might be out as the starting quarterback in Tennessee, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have to decide how many more interceptions they can afford from Jameis Winston.

UT SPORTS

Vols confident QB Maurer will play against No. 1 Alabama

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt believes quarterback Brian Maurer will be available Saturday at No. 1 Alabama after a concussion prevented the freshman from finishing a 20-10 victory over Mississippi State last week.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Wages, pensions, plant investments still issues in GM strike

DETROIT (AP) — With the strike by factory workers against General Motors in its 29th day, there are signs that negotiators may be moving toward an agreement.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US-China trade worries weigh on markets

NEW YORK (AP) — Major U.S. stock indexes edged lower on Wall Street, a shaky start to the week for the market after the S&P 500 notched its first weekly gain in four weeks.

UN urges action against food losses, says 14% lost globally

ROME (AP) — The United Nations' food agency says around 14% of the food produced globally is lost and is urging action to address the causes of food loss as part of efforts to protect the environment.

China's trade with US shrinks again in September

BEIJING (AP) — China's trade with the United States fell by double digits again in September amid a tariff war that threatens to tip the global economy into recession.

Brexit talks face uphill struggle as deadline looms

LONDON (AP) — Britain and the European Union said Monday that Brexit talks were making progress — but not yet enough to ensure a deal by the end of the month — as the U.K. government tried to look beyond the country's stalled EU exit with a wide-ranging policy platform read by Queen Elizabeth II in a pomp-filled ceremony in Parliament.

3 economists who study poverty win Nobel Prize

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Two researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a third from Harvard University won the 2019 Nobel Prize in economics on Monday for groundbreaking research into what works and what doesn't in the fight to reduce global poverty.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Ex-National Security Council official testifying to Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fiona Hill, a former top National Security Council expert on Russia, was testifying to Congress behind closed doors Monday, the latest former Trump administration official to be subpoenaed as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

US troops scramble for the exits in Syria

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. troops scrambled for Syria's exits Monday while the Trump administration threatened economic penalties on Turkey for an invasion that opened the door to a resurgence of the Islamic State group -- the fighters who were the reason U.S. forces came in the first place.

EU nations commit to arms export ban against Turkey

LUXEMBOURG (AP) — European Union nations vented outrage Monday at Turkey's military offensive in northern Syria against the Kurds and joined France and Germany in banning arms sales to Ankara, a rare move against a NATO ally for many of them.

Ambassador expected to testify key assurance came from Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. ambassador is expected to tell Congress that his text message reassuring another envoy that there was no quid pro quo in their interactions with Ukraine was based solely on what President Donald Trump told him, according to a person familiar with his coming testimony in the impeachment probe.

What's next in the impeachment inquiry as Congress returns

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is returning from a two-week recess on Tuesday, but some lawmakers barely left Washington.

White House: Trump to watch violent parody, 'condemns it'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Monday President Donald Trump "strongly condemns" a graphically violent parody video that depicts a likeness of him shooting and stabbing his opponents and members of the news media. The parody was shown at a meeting of Trump supporters at his Miami resort.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump's premature win on trade, Syria fiction

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was a week of caustic rhetoric by President Donald Trump over Syria and the impeachment inquiry, and truth often took a beating.


FRIDAY, OCT. 11
AUTO INDUSTRY

Renault ousts CEO to 'breathe new life' into Nissan alliance

PARIS (AP) — French carmaker Renault dismissed its CEO on Friday, an attempt to revitalize its alliance with Nissan, which was shaken by the jailing of the companies' previous chief, Carlos Ghosn.

UAW letter to GM indicates that strike won't end quickly

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Chief Executive Mary Barra has stepped into contract talks with striking auto workers, asking the union to wrap up outstanding issues and respond to a company offer made this week.

BANKING

Visa, Mastercard shun Facebook's Libra digital currency plan

NEW YORK (AP) — Visa and Mastercard are dropping out of Facebook's Libra project, a potentially fatal blow to the social network's plan for a worldwide digital currency.

TECHNOLOGY

Beer in a paper bottle? Brewer Carlsberg thinks it can work

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish brewer Carlsberg says it is developing a paper beer bottle made from sustainably sourced wood fibers.

COURTS

TN death row inmate's attorneys say appeal ignores justice

NASHVILLE (AP) — An attorney for a Tennessee death row inmate says the state attorney general puts "proceduralism over justice" in his attempt to scuttle a resentencing agreement.

US appeals court skeptical of Trump's Medicaid work rules

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday sharply questioned the Trump administration's work requirements for Medicaid recipients, casting doubt on a key part of a governmentwide effort to place conditions on low-income people seeking taxpayer-financed assistance.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks rise on trade progress, S&P 500 notches weekly gain

The S&P 500 finished with its first weekly gain in four weeks Friday as investors welcomed a thaw in the punishing trade war between the U.S. and China.

US suspends plans to hike tariffs Tuesday on Chinese imports

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is suspending a tariff hike on $250 billion in Chinese imports that was set to take effect Tuesday, and China agreed to buy $40 billion to $50 billion in U.S. farm products as the world's two biggest economies reached a cease-fire in their 15-month trade war.

Fed plans more Treasury purchases to control lending rates

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve said Friday that it will buy short-term Treasury bills each month until the second quarter of 2020 to inject cash into the banking system and make it easier to control overnight lending rates.

US consumers snap up Italian parmesan before tariffs

MILAN (AP) — U.S. consumers are stocking up Italian Parmesan cheese ahead of an increase in tariffs to take effect next week.

Oil rises on tanker attack, but market now better 'insured'

LONDON (AP) — Energy prices rose Friday after a missile strike on an Iranian tanker revived concerns about instability in the oil-rich region, though analysts say the global market is now more resilient to disruption to supplies.

EU, UK extend talks, push harder to avoid a no-deal Brexit

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union said Friday that talks with the U.K. to find an amicable divorce deal were back on track, despite huge challenges and a looming end-of-month deadline for Britain to leave the bloc.

China announces timetable for opening finance industries

BEIJING (AP) — China announced a timetable Friday for carrying out a promise to allow full foreign ownership of some finance businesses, starting with futures traders on Jan. 1, as Beijing tries to make its slowing economy more competitive and efficient.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Former envoy defies Trump, testifies he pushed to oust her

WASHINGTON (AP) — Testifying in defiance of President Donald Trump's ban, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch told House impeachment investigators Friday that Trump himself had pressured the State Department to oust her from her post and get her out of the country.

Trump picks new US ambassador to Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is nominating the No. 2 official at the State Department to be the next U.S. ambassador to Russia.

US sends fighter jets, air defense to Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says the U.S. will send several dozen fighter jets along with other aircraft and additional air defenses to Saudi Arabia to help protect the kingdom from Iranian attacks.

Appeals court rules House should get Trump financial records

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump's financial records must be turned over to the House of Representatives.

Lawyers say Sondland will testify despite ban

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Ambassador Gordon Sondland say he'll appear for an interview before a joint House committee taking depositions in the impeachment probe of President Donald Trump despite having been ordered by the State Department not to appear.

Study links Russian tweets to release of hacked emails

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election has generally been seen as two separate, unrelated tracks: hacking Democratic emails and sending provocative tweets. But a new study suggests the tactics were likely intertwined.

White House to cut foreign policy staff by nearly half

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's new national security adviser plans to dramatically cut the White House foreign policy unit as it comes under scrutiny over a whistleblower's complaint that launched an impeachment inquiry by Congress.

Envoy to Ukraine was removed after pushback on Giuliani

WASHINGTON (AP) — The former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine was removed from her post after insisting that Rudy Giuliani's requests to Ukrainian officials for investigations be relayed through official channels, according to a former diplomat who has spoken with her.

Arrest of Giuliani associates ensnares 'Congressman 1'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Businessmen with ties to Rudy Giuliani lobbied a U.S. congressman in 2018 for help ousting the American ambassador to Ukraine around the same time they committed to raising money for the lawmaker.

Florida men tied to Giuliani, Ukraine probe arrested

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Florida businessmen tied to President Donald Trump's lawyer and the Ukraine impeachment investigation were charged with federal campaign finance violations.

With less to lose, will retiring Republicans desert Trump?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retiring congressional Republicans are a natural group to watch for defectors as Democrats' impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump builds steam. But they're not crumbling yet.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump hypes US economy, minimizes IS threat

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday minimized the ongoing threat of the Islamic State and overstated his economic success, declaring inaccurately that China would have overtaken the U.S. as the world's largest economy if he wasn't president.


THURSDAY, OCT. 10
STATEWIDE

Hagerty raises $1.9M in Tennessee Senate race

NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican Bill Hagerty has raised $1.9 million since officially launching his U.S. Senate bid less than a month ago.

COURTS

Good Grief: Owners of Charlie Brown song sue Dollywood

KNOXVILLE (AP) — The copyright owners of the "Charlie Brown Christmas" theme song have sued Dollywood in federal court for copyright infringement.

Court: Deutsche Bank does not have Trump's tax returns

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court revealed Thursday that President Donald Trump's longtime lender, Deutsche Bank, does not have Trump's personal tax returns.

Federal court rules against 2 efforts to stop opioid trial

CLEVELAND (AP) — A federal appeals court has denied two efforts to upend a trial over the opioid crisis that is scheduled to start this month in Cleveland.

ICE criticizes ruling restricting use of immigrant databases

WASHINGTON (AP) — The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday criticized a judge's ruling barring his agency from relying solely on databases that have at times led to the wrongful detention of American citizens.

REGION

'Flash drought' brings dust, dread to Southern farmers

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. (AP) — A furnace-like "flash drought" is intensifying as it blasts away the little moisture left across a vast swath of the South, wilting garden plants and raising alarm among farmers, according to a weekly report updated Thursday.

AUTO INDUSTRY

UK vacuum maker Dyson scraps electric car project

LONDON (AP) — Dyson, the British company best known for groundbreaking vacuum cleaners, is scrapping its electric car project because it doesn't make business sense.

GM workers worry about paying bills as strike continues

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Nearly four weeks into the United Auto Workers' strike against General Motors, employees are starting to feel the pinch of going without their regular paychecks.

ENVIRONMENT

EPA proposes rewrite of rules on lead contamination in water

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Thursday proposed a rewrite of rules for dealing with lead pipes contaminating drinking water, but critics say the changes appear to give water systems decades more time to replace pipes leaching dangerous amounts of toxic lead.

BANKING

Fed approves rules loosening Dodd-Frank bank restrictions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is easing restrictions imposed on banks following the 2008 financial crisis, giving a victory to the banking industry and President Donald Trump.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks climb for 2nd straight day on US-China trade optimism

Stocks closed broadly higher on Wall Street for the second straight day Thursday as the U.S. and China kicked off a new round of negotiations in their long-running trade war.

Trump sets White House meeting with Chinese trade negotiator

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he would meet at the White House on Friday with the leader of the Chinese negotiating team now in Washington for the latest round of talks aimed at ending a 15-month trade battle that is weighing on the global economy.

Apple has a lot of lose if it crosses China's party bosses

HONG KONG (AP) — Under pressure from China, Apple has removed a smartphone app that enabled Hong Kong protesters to track police. It has cut off access in mainland China to a news app that extensively covered the anti-government demonstrations. And it has made it harder to find an emoji representing the Taiwanese national flag.

UK, Irish leaders see 'pathway' to Brexit deal as hopes wane

LONDON (AP) — The leaders of Britain and Ireland said they spotted a "pathway" to an elusive Brexit deal Thursday, as hopes for a breakthrough dimmed just three weeks before the U.K.'s deadline to leave the European Union.

Media events canceled in China for NBA preseason game

In response to the NBA defending Daryl Morey's freedom of speech, Chinese officials took it away from the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.

US consumer prices unchanged in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — Overall consumer prices were unchanged in September as a big decline in energy costs offset small gains in other areas.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

2 Florida men tied to Giuliani arrested on campaign charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Florida businessmen tied to President Donald Trump's lawyer and the Ukraine investigation were charged Thursday with federal campaign finance violations. The charges relate to a $325,000 donation to a group supporting Trump's reelection.

Takeaways from the arrests of 2 men with ties to Giuliani

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Florida businessmen tied to President Donald Trump's lawyer and the Ukraine investigation were charged Thursday with federal campaign finance violations.

House Democrats subpoena Energy Secretary Rick Perry

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats have subpoenaed Energy Secretary Rick Perry as part of their impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump's dealings with Ukraine.

Trump's Syria announcement blindsided many GOP supporters

WASHINGTON (AP) — For once, Republicans and Democrats in Congress were in the same place: out of the loop.

Polls show close divide over impeachment and removal

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are following impeachment proceedings closely and are slightly more likely to approve than disapprove of the inquiry itself. But the public is more closely split over whether President Donald Trump should be removed from office.

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